MOUNT CARMEL - Four members of the Mount Carmel Area High School Band qualified for District 8 Band this year. They are seniors Shaine Lepley, trombone, a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Lepley, and Matthew Altomare, percussion, a son of Carol and the late James Altomare; and juniors Cody Yeager, tuba, a son of Harry and Joan Yeager, and Samantha Yuschock, clarinet, a daughter of Susan Serovich and Jon Yuschock.
From this group, Lepley, Altomare and Yeager all qualified for Region IV Band, and Lepley and Altomare qualified for District 8 Orchestra.
Lepley and Yeager also qualified for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association All-State Concert Band that was held in Hershey from April 13 to April 16 in conjunction with PMEA's annual state conference.
Senior Carissa Pupo, daughter of Kathy and Frank Pupo, has qualified for District 8 Chorus, Region IV Chorus and All-State Chorus, which was also held in Hershey during the PMEA All-State Festival and state conference.
All five of these young musicians play in marching, symphonic, jazz, and pep bands at Mount Carmel Area. Pupo, Lepley, Yeager, and Yuschock participate in the MCA Senior High Chorus, and Pupo, Altomare, Lepley, and Yuschock also participate in the MCA Jazz Band. Lepley, Pupo and Altomare were selected to participate in the District 8 Jazz Festival, which Mount Carmel Area hosted in March. Pupo, Lepley and Yuschock also had lead roles in the school's musicals for the last few years.
Lepley, Yeager and Yuschock, along with senior Kristen Klusman, all participated in the Susquehanna University Honors Band Festival in February.
In addition, Lepley, Yuschock, and Yeager are all varsity athletes at Mount Carmel Area.
Lepley studies trombone, piano and voice at Susquehanna University, as well as trombone with Sam Rovito at MCA. Pupo studies voice with Patty Zablosky and piano with Vic Boris. Yeager and Yuschock study with Rovito, and Matthew Altomare studies percussion with Bernard Stellar.
Altomare, Lepley and Pupo all plan on majoring in music education next year. Lepley will attend Penn State University, Pupo will attend Susuehanna University and Altomare will attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Sharon Styer directs the MCA Chorus, and the MCA Band is under the direction of Bernard Stellar.